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FRANK JUZENAS, Staff Writer 10/22/04

OHENEWA AKUFFO

It is a good start to the new wrestling season for Brampton's Ohenewa Akuffo.

Akuffo, who wrestles for the Guelph Wrestling Club, was second in her weight class and helped Canada finish second overall at the Women's World Cup in Tokyo recently. That is a significant showing for both Akuffo and for the team.

The World Cup, the first major international event since the Olympics, brings together the top six wrestling nations in the world for a series of dual meets over two days. Unlike most meets where one loss eliminates a competitor, this tournament has a round-robin format. Akuffo went 4-1 in the 72 kilograms division after losing her opening match.

While Akuffo had missed a chance to go the Olympics, losing the Canadian spot on the team to Christine Nordhagen of Calgary, both wrestlers were on the seven-member Canadian team for this meet as Nordhagen dropped to 67 kilograms.

For Akuffo this was an important test on what will be a long season leading to the next world championship in September of 2005 in Hungary. But it is also the start of another four-year cycle for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

"This gave me a chance to wrestle girls from Japan and China and you usually don't see them until the world championships,'' she said. "Now that I've seen them I feel more confident.''

While several countries did send their No. 2 wrestler rather than their No. 1 Akuffo feels in the wrestling powers there is usually not much difference between the top two.

In the opening meet Canada lost to Japan 24-4 with Akuffo losing by a 4-3 score and a fall to Kyoko Hamaguchi, the bronze medallist at the Athens Olympics. It was a close match with Akuffo taking a 3-0 lead and Hamaguchi tying.

Akuffo felt the pin call came very quickly and was pleased with her showing. Canada next faced China winning 15-12 Akuffo downed China's No. 2 Ma Bailing 5-0 by pin. China's No. 1 had won gold at the Olympics.

Canada defeated Russia 17-7. Akuffo downed Russia's No. 2 Alena Starodubtseva 3-0. After that Canada downed India 25-2 with Akuffo beating Sonika Kaliraman by a fall.

Canada defeated the U.S. 19-9 and Akuffo won her match over Olympian Tocarro Montgomery. Montgomery, the 2003 World Cup champion, failed to make weight at 72 kgs.

In the final team standings Japan was 5-0 to win the title. Canada, at 4-1, was second.

While Akuffo is continuing to train in Guelph, she is back living in Brampton and plans to complete her degree at York University.